


Double Cups and Cherry Chunks

by mansikka



Category: Grey's Anatomy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Coffee Shops, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-07-11 12:10:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19927861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mansikka/pseuds/mansikka
Summary: The mysterious Nico Kim is a blight on Levi's otherwise perfect morning in his favorite cafe. Why can't the man just order a damn coffee?





	Double Cups and Cherry Chunks

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LazyGeisha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazyGeisha/gifts).



> Hello :) this is a prompt filled for LazyGeisha. Enjoy!

It's a beautiful morning in the Cinnamon Cafe. The sun is streaming in through the window, Levi is at a good part in his book, and the music playing in the background is the perfect kind for him to hum along to. Once or twice he catches the eye of the barista Divanii, who smiles back at him knowingly, throwing her head back and bursting into song. Which of course Levi has to sing along to, even singing into the pepper mill she shoves in his face like a microphone so they can duet.

Levi has been coming to this cafe on the way to work now for almost a year. In fact, it was the very first place he came to on his first day of work when he'd moved. He _loves_ this cafe, enjoys taking this moment to lose himself in a book before he starts his shift. He's been so engrossed at times that Levi has now taken to setting himself an alarm on his phone so he doesn't forget the time.

Work is great, Levi loves his apartment, appreciating having his own space after so many years living in his mom's basement. Not that he doesn't love his mom. But here, Levi feels like an entirely new person, the most confident and at ease version of himself he's ever dared to be. He has great colleagues, some new friends outside of work that he indulges in the occasional DnD campaign with, and has even started jogging once a week around the local park. Life is _good_ , every aspect of it, every moment of his day guaranteed to put a smile on his face even when dealing with difficult cases. Every moment that is, except when _he_ comes into the cafe.

Levi knows _Nico Kim_. Or at least, he knows his reputation. Nico has worked at Mercy General as an orthopedic surgeon for two years now and seems destined for great things. He is confident, quietly spoken, and almost artistic in the way he does his job. Not that Levi's paid _that_ much attention, of course, it's just he hears these things sometimes.

He's heard many other things about Nico too. About how he gets moody and self-absorbed on the rare occasions when things go wrong on the operating table. And how he is strict with interns until he is one hundred percent sure they can do their jobs. No one works on a patient with Nico unless they are completely prepared, and he is personally sure they are competent. Which is no bad thing, really. It's just that sometimes, Nico comes across as nothing but stern. Which means Levi's constant urge to _smile_ at him has to be kept in.

But Nico still intrigues him—and annoys Levi from a distance—for being something of a mystery to him, a puzzle he can't solve. If he has friends, Levi hasn't heard about them. If he has hobbies, Levi has no clue what they might be. Levi doesn't think he is a nosey person, not really, though he is frustrated that he doesn't know _more_ about Nico Kim.

What he does know, though, that no one else in the hospital possibly does, is that Nico is _indecisive_ outside of his operating room. Sometimes he walks into this cafe staring up at the menu for several long minutes, only to turn around half-catching Levi's eyes without buying a single thing. Once or twice he's smiled in Levi's direction, which has infuriated him more because he doesn't want Nico to _know_ he's watching him. And it has to be frustrating for the staff too, Levi thinks as he looks between Nico just standing there _not ordering_ , and Divanii who is keeping busy taking other orders from customers who actually know what they want.

Today, for reasons Levi doesn't understand, he is beyond patience for the mystery that is Nico and the way he just stands there like he has no other place to be. Levi has a twelve-hour shift ahead of him which starts in about 45 minutes. Nico _just standing there_ is interrupting his concentration on his book.

"Are you _ordering_ something? Or just… drinking coffee with your eyes?" Levi blurts out, quickly reaching up to adjust the glasses that used to forever slip down his nose until he got contacts. Which was more than a year ago; he should be out of the habit by now.

Nico turns to him, not surprised at all. In fact, he's _smiling_ , like he's been waiting for Levi to talk to him. "No. I'm just choosing."

"So choose something then. Every morning you walk in and inhale deeply, and then walk back out. Seriously, just buy something already." Levi doesn't mean to be curt. But this man has been coming into the cafe for so long now without buying a thing and it's _getting_ to him how much he just stands and stares. And other things about Nico put him on edge, obviously; Levi tries not to think about _that_.

Sometimes Nico does buy something. A tall black coffee double-cupped like he's got a long way to go. Which is _silly_ ; Levi knows it takes exactly three minutes to get to the hospital from here. Maybe that's just how he likes his coffee; hot for as long as possible.

Speaking of hot. Nico looks _really_ good today. It's unfair really how amazing he looks in a pair of black jeans and a navy button-down shirt. But he looks _good_ ; distractingly so, which is possibly why Levi is so annoyed. Now he'll spend half the day _thinking_ about him, when Nico already steals several hours from Levi just by existing.

"Maybe you can recommend me something?" Nico asks, and it's not _cocky_ , or _arrogant_ , or anything else at all like all the things Levi has imagined he'd be if they ever had a conversation. Nico is sweet, and shy, even, with this cute little smile and a slight duck of his head. He's _perfect_ , Levi finds himself thinking in a daze, then tries to think of anything else just so he can stop.

"Well. I know you get black coffee. So—"

"How do you know that?"

Well _shit_. Now he's going to like some weird creeper for watching him. "Because when you _do_ order, I can hear you."

"Are you saying I'm loud?" Nico asks, smiling at him in both tease and amusement, and _hell_ , Levi thinks, why does he have to look so _nice_?

"Sound travels in here," Levi says with a quick glance around the cafe hoping there's enough evidence to back up his excuse. "If you're looking for something to eat, the muffins are really good. And the bagels. I get the three cheese."

"And the muffin?" Nico asks as he takes a step closer to the counter. "What's your favorite?"

"The double chocolate black cherry chunk."

Levi sees him nod, watches Nico order, wonders if there is anything else he should say. He swallows hard when Nico pays because now he's got to wait at the end of the counter for his order. Is he going to expect him to _talk_?

"You work in Mercy General, right?" Nico says, gracefully perching on a high stool that Levi himself would probably have to take a running jump at to reach.

"Yes."

"In trauma?"

"Yes.

"Been here about a year now?"

" _Yes_ ," Levi says again with his heart fluttering. Why does Nico know so much about _him_?

"I hear great things about you," Nico tells him, leaning back on one elbow against the counter. _You do?_ Levi tells himself not to _preen_. Nico really does have the most beautiful smile.

"Same." Levi barely stops himself reciting from all of Nico's cases, only blurting out the latest that he'd been so impressed by. Nico looks surprised that he knows, humble for it even, but also proud. He _should_ be proud; Nico does beautiful work.

"Well," Nico says once he's thanked Divanii for his order, hesitating before taking a couple of steps to bring him closer to Levi's table. "Maybe I'll see you around. Soon."

"Maybe."

"We could maybe get coffee together sometime. If, you know. You want to."

"I do," Levi says, flustered as he fidgets trying not to knock everything flying for this sudden change of events.

Nico rewards him with that smile again, putting an extra flutter in Levi's poor heart. "Well. I guess I'll see you soon."

Levi watches Nico lower the plate with the double chocolate black cherry chunk muffin on to the table in front of him, startling at his up-close wink, then enjoying the view as he walks away. Levi remembers to breathe eventually, looking between the muffin, the door, and his table again in confusion before Divanii catches his eye and grins at him in tease.

_"Finally."_

"What's _finally_?"

"You two," she says. "Been making eyes at each other for _months_. Just go on a date, would you? The UST is agony. Really. Just for _watching_ it."

When Levi and Nico meet for their first date, it starts in the Cinnamon Cafe, all shy smiles and hesitant hands as they figure out how they fit. It doesn't stay that way for long; Divanii has to discreetly clear her throat three times to stop them _smooching_ at their table one morning when they meet for a coffee date before work and get a little carried away. Maybe a _lot_ carried away. For all Nico used to distract him, he's even more distracting now for Levi _knowing_ him.

Divanii doesn't let Levi forget it either, forever teasing him whenever he comes in. Especially when he reveals that the reason for Nico's constant presence in the cafe without buying much was because of _him_. Nico's been trying to figure out a way to speak to Levi for _months_.

"How's lover-boy today?" she says, hands gripped around the counter and leaning as she grins at him, apparently in no hurry to serve.

"Working. He gets off when I do."

"Oh. I'm _sure_ he does."

Levi curses the foot he's just inserted into his mouth and clears his throat, determined he will _not_ react. "Can I get an order to go?"

"Aww. No time for book club this morning?"

"It's hardly a _club_ if it's just _me_."

Without breaking eye contact Divanii drops her hand to reach behind the counter, the sound of a book slapping against its surface making Levi startle. "It's sort of a club. You read me the back of it; I went _shopping_."

Levi smiles for the familiar cover knowing his own copy of the book is nestled somewhere in the bottom of his backpack. "Are you liking it?"

"I am _loving_ it. I have questions though."

"Won't that spoil it for you?"

"I _love_ spoilers," Divanii declares, snatching up her pen and pad as though she's just remembered she's supposed to be taking Levi's order.

"Well," Levi says taking out his phone, "message me. I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

" _Whatever_ I want to know?" she asks, her eyes glinting with mischief.

"About the _book_. Number."

Divanii dutifully does as asked, smiling when Levi miscalls her. "So. What can I get you?"

"Two double chocolate black cherry chunk muffins. One tall latte, one tall black. Both double-cupped."

Divanii grins at him, quickly scribbling on her pad and spinning around to make Levi's coffees, calling out for Levi to join in with her singing as she does.


End file.
